Apparatus for generating water gas



June 26, 1934. Q NYGAARD APPARATUS FOR GENERATING WATER GAS Filed May 10, 1927 //}{f/\/ TOR Z r4 TTOENE Y Eatented June 2%, 1934 APPARATUS FOR GENERATING WATER GAS flscar Nygaard, ESaugus, Mass, assignor t Furnace Appliance Company, Boston,

corporation of Massachusetts Bernitz Mass, a

Application May 10, 1927, Serial No. 190,325

3 Claims. (Cl. 48-64) This invention relates to methods of and appagas generator 2 and a carburetor 3 connected in ratus for generating water gas.

the usual manner by pipes 4. These units may A typical gas generating unit of this character be of the usual construction except for certain includes a generator, a carburetor into which the features in the generator which will be described gases from the generator are discharged, and in hereinafter. The usual air supply pipe 5 leads which they are enriched by the addition of oil from a blower to the base of the generator 2 and vapors, and a superheater into which the endischarges air underneath the grate. riched gases flow from the carburetor. The car- It will be observed that the lining for the genburetor is partly filled with checker brick around erator consists of two sections, a lower hollow and through which the gases flow and from which section 7 and an upper hollow section 8, these two 65 they take up heat during the air blow. In sections being separated from each other by inorder to supply the necessary heat to the checker termediate stop courses 9 of brick. Preferably brick, it is customary to burn the incoming gases the facing of the lower section '7 consists of, or between makes, air being admitted from the includes, hollow perforated blocks or bricks of atmosphere to promote combustion. During the some material make or run steam is forced through the fuel such as silicon c which is highly resistant to fire, 79

arbide, while the facing of the bed where it decomposes and unites with conupper section 8 consists of similar bricks or stituents of the fuel in a manner well understood blocks which, however, have blank faces, or, in by those skilled in this art. It is one of the obother words, are not perforated. With this ar- 0 jects of the present invention to improve the rangement a certain amount of the air disefficiency of the apparatus both during the make charged into the b its way up through scharged through the perforas or bricks into the fuel bed.

or run and also during the air blow.

The very high temperatures which are created section '7 and is di in the fuel bed tend to soften the refractory lining tions in the block ottom of the generator finds the space in the lower lining in the generator and cause clinker and slag to This air is prevented by the stop courses 9 of 8 adhere to it. This action ultimately causes chipbrick from flowing into the upper hollow section ping of the lining with the result that the lining 8 of the lining. Also, since the facing of the upsoon becomes worn out and must be removed. per section consi With a View to obviating this difficulty it has beperforated bricks come within recent years a fairly common pracspace provided in sts entirely of blank or nonor blocks, the annular air this part of the lining is sepa- S5 tice to use a hollow refractory lining in the genrated from the gas and fuel chamber in the erator and to circulate air through this lining to generator, no keep the lining sufficiently cool to prevent the being permitte adhesion of clinker to it. The present invention tion,

aims to utilize the excessive heat in the generator Accord substantial flow of air or steam d through the facing of this secing to the practice which preferably is lining and to make this heat serve a useful purfollowed in operating this apparatus, air is cirpose in the gas making process while at the same culated through the upper section 8 of the lining time holding the temperature of the lining below during certain periods in the gas making cycle, limits that would be injurious, by providing this air thus becoming highly heated, and it is 40 means for maintaining a positive circulation of then used in burning the gases created in the a cooling medium within the wall during the generator for the complete cycle of operation of the generator. the carburetor wa The nature of the invention will be readily in. At other perio purpose of supplying heat to lls and the checker brick thereds in the gas making cycle understood from the following description when steam is circulated through the lining 8 where 45 read in connection with the accompanying draw it is superheated, and this superheated steam ing, and the novel features will be particularly th i f pointed out in the appended claims. used, in maki In the drawing, the single figure is a perspecsuperheating all of tive view showing somewhat diagrammatically in gas ithi the an orced through the fuel bed where it is ng gas. This invention contemplates the steam used for making or walls of the generator be- 59 elevation with parts in section the general organfore passing the steam to the interior thereof.

ization of an apparatus embodying this invention, When a secondary those portions only of the apparatus being shown generator wall with which the invention is more especially conopenings throug cerned. and the interior 0 space is provided within the the bottom of the same with h the lining between the space f the generator as shown in 55 The apparatus illustrated comprises a water the drawing, steam superheated in the primary closed space will be still further superheated in its passage through the secondary space to the interior of the generator.

In order to create the circulation of air above mentioned through the lining section 8, a pipe 12 is arranged to lead air from the main pipe line 5 to a header 14 which encircles the generator, branch pipes or taps 13, conduct air from this header into the lower part of the air space in the upper lining section 8. Additional taps, one of which is shown at 15, conduct the heated air away from the upper part of this section to a header 16, from which it is carried by a pipe 17 into the upper part of the carburetor 3. The pipes 12 and 1'7 are equipped with valves 18 and 19, respectively, by means of which the air flow may be controlled and the entire supply of air through the pipe line 5 is under the control of the main valve 20, as is usual in apparatus of this type.

For the purpose of conducting steam into the upper lining section, a steam supply pipe 21 leads into the air pipe 12 at the generator side of the valve 18, this pipe being equipped with a valve 22 for controlling the flow of steam. The steam admitted to the pipe 12 follows the same path as the air in travelling through the upper lining section, and is discharged from the lining through the header 16 and short pipe connections to a vertical pipe 23 which leads into the generator both above the fuel bed and also below the grate, so that the steam which is superheated during its flow through the generator lining may be delivered either above or below the fuel bed, as desired. Upper and lower valves 24 and 25, respectively, are connected into this pipe and control the direction of flow of steam through it.

During the blow the steam is shut off and the valves 18 and 19 are opened so that air then flows through the upper section 8 of the generator lining and is discharged into the top of the carburetor where it mingles with the incoming gases discharged from the generator and promotes combustion. Due to the fact that this air is highly preheated, the efficiency of the unit is increased during this period. Also the heating of the interior of the carburetor is accomplished in a shorter time than heretofore and unconsumed gases are prevented from reaching the stack and being wasted. When the blow is completed the valves 18 and 19 are closed, the steam valve 22 is opened, and one of the valves 24 or 25 is opened, thus circulating it into the fuel bed where it is utilized in making gas. A substantial economy is effected here due to the fact that the steam is highly superheated before it is delivered to the fuel bed. This is particularly advantageous when heavy oils are sprayed on the fuel bed for enriching the blue gas as it aids in keeping the fuel bed in a hotter condition. An ample flow of air or steam is maintained through the upper lining section 8 at practically all times to keep the temperature of the lining below the point at which clinker will adhere to it. The invention thus affords ample protection for the generator lining, while at the same time delivering heat which is withdrawn from the lining to other parts of the apparatus where it serves a useful purpose.

In the apparatus shown provision has been made for utilizing the steam superheated in the lining either during the up run or the down run. In most gas generating plants, however, as now operated, the down run is longer and far more important from a gas making standpoint than is the up run. Consequently, it may be desirable in some installations to use the steam superheated in the generator lining only for the down run and such an arrangement is contemplated by this invention. It is also contemplated that the superheated steam may be used for other purposes than those described and still have the advantages obtained of holding the lining within the desired temperature limits. When such an arrangement is used a continuous circulation of the steam through the lining can be maintained, the steam being discharged through a pipe 26 leading to any desired point Where the steam is to be used, such, for example, as heating feed water.

It will be understood that no effort has been made to illustrate the proper proportions of the pipes or to show a complete generating plant since these are matters well understood by those skilled in this art. It will also be evident that the invention may be embodied in other forms than that shown without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.

Having thus described my invention, What I desire to claim as new is:

1. In a water gas making apparatus the combination of a generator having a hollow refractory lining, a carburetor connected with said generator to receive gases therefrom, pipes for conducting air under pressure into the space in said lining whereby said air will be circulated through said space and heated, discharge passages for said air arranged to cause it to mix with said gases, means for conducting steam required for the production of gas to said apparatus, means including externally located inlet and outlet headers for conducting all of such steam into said space in said lining, to cause said steam to circulate through the lining and then be discharged into the fuel bed in the generator on a water gas down-run,

and valves for controlling the flow of air and N steam from said pipes.

2. In a water gas producing apparatus, the combination of a generator having a hollow refractory lining, a carburetor connected with said generator to receive gases therefrom, pipes for conducting air to be used in said carburetor into the space in said lining to preheat said air before it is delivered to the carburetor and for delivering said air to the carburetor, means for conducting steam into said space in said lining to cause said steam to be superheated in the lining, means for discharging all of the steam so superheated into said generator above the fuel bed, and means to draw off both up and down run water gas.

3. In a water gas set, the combination of a carburetor and a generator provided with a hollow l refractory lining divided into an upper chamber and a separate lower chamber, the lining forming the lower chamber being perforated, means for circulating gaseous fluids through said upper chamber, comprising an inlet header and an outlet header both externally mounted on said generator, and valved pipes connecting said outlet header with the top and bottom of said generator and with the top of said carburetor.

OSCAR NYGAARD. 

